A man from Portugal, a talent scout or perhaps just a kind stranger with connections, heard her singing at some dirty alley, a forgotten corner of the city where she had gone to practice in private away from the judgmental ears of her neighbors.
He loved her voice, he had told her directly, and he gave her his card with his contact information written on it.
He said he would see what he would do for her, what opportunities he could open, and what doors he could unlock.
Maria was very happy, overjoyed beyond words, because her family might finally be saved by this unexpected stroke of luck and this generous stranger's intervention.
Her dreams were so close to becoming reality, so close that she could almost taste the sweetness of success on her tongue.
But sadly, when she was writing one specific song in her room late at night, focused entirely on her notebook and her lyrics, armed men broke into their house without warning.
